Poultry virus isolates and method

Abstract

Infectious bursal disease viruses were isolated from broiler chickens experiencing proventriculitis in, for example, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and California. Chicken virus isolates Texas RB 3, Texas RB 4, HBS, F57-7, W/L 39, GAR 1, and the like have been isolated. These viruses are some of the major causes of this condition and can be utilized as or in a vaccine to prevent the disease condition. The viruses are a significant finding in the search for a causative agent for proventriculitis in broiler chickens and as such may be utilized in the development of a vaccine or vaccines. The viruses can be attenuated to be used as a modified live vaccine or utilized in an inactivated form in a killed vaccine.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A poultry virus isolate having the identifying characteristics of an isolate selected from the group of F57-7, Texas RB 3, and Texas RB 4. 
     
     
       2. A poultry vaccine utilizing at least one of the poultry virus isolates of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       3. A vaccine suitable for immunizing chickens against proventriculitis syndrome comprising an IBD virus having the identifying characteristics of an isolate selected from the group of F57-7, Texas RB 3, and Texas RB 4, and combinations or variants thereof. 
     
     
       4. The vaccine of  claim 3  defined further as containing an attenuated, modified, inactivated, or killed form of the isolate. 
     
     
       5. A method of protecting a chicken from clinical signs of proventriculitis syndrome or disease caused by a virus having all of the identifying characteristics of an isolate selected from the group of F57-7, Texas RB 3, and Texas RB 4, comprising administering an effective amount of the vaccine of  claim 3  to at least one of an egg or a chicken.